Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons at Hogwarts
by Fengcat
Summary: This is basically a Crossover of Harry Potter, and The Big Four, Starring Merida, Hiccup, Rapunzel, and Jack. I will be using the Harry Potter world to show these four, and how they grow, as friends. Anything I write, I have seen in PG movies, so I'd rate it K. I'd appreciate it if you would take the time to comment, tell me what you liked or didn't like about it. I take criticism.
1. 1

Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragon at Hogwarts, Fanfiction: By Fengcat

Jack/ Rapunzel/ Hiccup/ Merida

The Big Four

Hiccup

A smallish boy walks through a silent part of the forest. While he walks along, completely alone, he talks to himself. A noise interrupts his conversation making him jump. A muffled hooting noise to his left causes him spin toward it with his nerves on edge. He soon relaxes when he sees that it was just an owl, a brown barn owl with sharp brown eyes. The boy is filled with curiosity when he notices that the owl has something clamped in its beak. It wasn't something that you'd usually see in an owls beak. Instead of a small rodent, a thick parchment envelope was sticking out of the owls mouth. The owl stared at him expectantly, and the boy soon realized that it expected him to take the letter. Letters were rare in Hiccups land.

When you lived twelve days north of hopelessness and a few degrees south of freezing to death, you didn't get many visitors, or letters. In fact Hiccup hadn't seen many letters in his lifetime. Did owls usually carry them? He reached out and took the envelope.

He spotted letters scrawled on the envelope. Okay, there was a problem here. Hiccup couldn't read the handwritten words. He stared at the words on the envelope, his expression blank. He looked up at the owl.

"Thanks, but I can't read this." He told it apologetically. The owl blinked at him, hooted, and flew away. "Much help you were", he grumbled after the creature's retreating back.

None of the Vikings had good handwriting, but this handwriting was just awful. There was only one Viking that might be able to read it, because his handwriting was just as bad.

Hiccup headed back to Berk to find his blacksmith friend, and mentor. Gobber was currently welding a weapon for the Dragon fighting Vikings to use. "Hey, Gobber. Could you help me read this."

The vast Viking looked up from his handy work and gave Hiccup a surprised look. "You think I can read something you can't?"

"Just look at, please."

Gobber wiped his black stained hands on his blacksmith apron and took the envelope from Hiccup. He looked down at it and read out easily.

"Mr. H Haddock, The bedroom upstairs, Chief's House, Berk, Netherlands." He looked up at Hiccup. "It for you." He said, stating the obvious and handing it to Hiccup.

Hiccup stared at the letter with an increase of interest. The address had been so obviously addressed to him that the writer must know him well. Who, _outsid_e of Berk, knew him that well? Why would anyone _inside_ Berk bother to write him a letter, and train an owl to deliver it to him?

Rapunzel

A girl about 11 years old, stared out of a tower window. Curiosity gnawed at the back of her mind like a desperately hungry mouse. What was it like out there? She knew that the her mother barred the door downstairs before she went out, to keep bad people out of the house, and away from her.

Rapunzel sighed, she couldn't leave, her mother forbade her from ever leaving, to protect her from the world's evils. She turned from the window, and looked down at the paint from the white shells that her mother had brought her recently, so that she wouldn't be so bored at home.

She picked up the set of paint brushes her mother gave her a few years ago and looked around the wall. It was mostly empty of paint, she had started painting on the closet that held her many crafts and hobbies. She began a new painting on that closet, a girl with long blonde hair, that fell down the girls back and reached her ankles, but it didn't stop there. She kept painting over the blue painted cabinet. The golden blonde hair cascading down the closets side ending near the bottom of the closet in a slight upward curl.

She glanced at her own hair, it was trailing on the ground behind her. She followed the length of it with her eyes, it ended by the window she had just left. About 10 feet long now.

Her eyes fell on the window. A creature was perched on the window ledge, an owl. She approached it slowly so as not to scare it. "Hello, friend." She murmured softly.

Locked in a tower, she didn't often get to see any other life forms other than her mother, and her friend Pascal. The owl was a screech owl, she had read about owls in one of the books that her mother had brought her. She recognized the bird from the picture in the book. The owl had brown feathers and pale yellow eyes.

"How has your day been." She asked the owl. It stared back at her calmly, then it let out a hoot, and something fell from its beak onto the ground of the tower room.

Rapunzel stretched a hand out to it and was thrilled when it let her stroke its feathers. "You're beautiful." She murmured.

The owl hooted again, then took off through the outstretched window. "Goodbye." Rapunzel called to it sad to see it go. She turned her gaze to the letter it had dropped. She looked down at the handwritten address on the letter. In cursive it read:

Ms R Gothel

The circular bedroom

Tower, Little Valley

Jack

A boy with shockingly white hair was skating skillfully across the frozen lake. He enjoyed the cold wind on his face. He grinned and let out a gleeful laugh. How he loved the feeling skating gave him. He felt like he was flying. His feet barely touching the ground, his hair whipped back from his face. He was gliding faster, and faster. Finally he jumped into the air and let himself soar away from the lake, and land in a pile of fresh powder snow.

Jack stood up laughing. He brushed himself off, then, unstrapping the skates, he placed them in a box of treasures he had collect that year. A pocket watch, a sliver ring, and an assortment of other treasures. a warm wool blanket lay over the more valuable treasures. He placed his skates on top of the blanket then closed the box, hiding it in the bushes where he had found it.

Jack turned his nose to town. 'Time to eat' he thought smiling to himself. What should he try for, bread was always a nice easy thing to grab, but the butcher's shop had some nice fresh beef. He'd seen the butcher carry the cow in for slotter. Or maybe, he grinned wider than ever, he'd treat himself to a steak sandwich.

Having decided his destination he head for the market. 'Bread first' he thought moving easily through the crowd. He slipped by one of the markets stands, and quick fingers, grabbed a loaf of fresh bread, then blended back into the crowd. 'Success!' He turned and followed the crowd past the butcher's shop. There was a small steak hung from the side of the shop just begging him to take it, so as he past it, he took it.

With his new treasures, Jack melted out of the crowd and took them back to the lake where he lived. He'd start a fire and get this steak cooked, then tear it up and stuff the loaf with it. He'd be well fed tonight. He wrapped the steak in the snow near his box of possessions, and put the bread in the box. Then turned to the forest to gather sticks.

He had just gotten under the first trees when he heard a hooting sound above him, he looked up to see a flash of white wings, and felt a sharp pain in his forehead as something sharp hit him.

"Ow!" Jack exclaimed, clutching at his head he looked down to see what had hit him. He slowly lowered his hand from his head when he saw what had hit him. A thick parchment envelope was lying at his feet. One of the sharp corners of the envelope must have hit him.

He stretched out a hand and snatched it up. On the front of the envelope was an address. He squinted to read it.

Mr J Frost

Trees by the lake

Burgess, United States

Merida

A wild red haired girl was galloping fast on her horse. She slipped her bow from her shoulder, using only her knees to cling onto the horses back. She strung an arrow and let it fly. She felt pleased when it hit the dangling target a ways to the left of the bullseye. She had already mastered her bow on land, and now her goal was to master it on a horse. She let loose another arrow, this time it was a little to the right of the bullseye. Soon she would be out of hanging targets. She shot an arrow at the last target..

Bullseye!" She whooped, then looked down at her horse. "Angus, take me home."

She rode back home enjoying the wind against her face as it blew her curly red hair. She could imagine herself flying over the forest ground, but every bump of hooves on ground shook her out of the fantasy.

She made her way back to the stables and walked the horse in. "Are you hungry Angus?" She asked. She received a whip of the horses tail across her face, and understood it as an answer. "Oats it is then." She said before walking through the kitchens of the Royal Castle.

"Hello, Princess." greeted on of the cooks. "The Queens been looking for you."

Merida groaned and rolled her eyes, before heading in the direction of the royal dining area. She stopped at the door and turned back to the cook. "Would you feed Angus for me, please. Mum will be chewing off my ear for a while, she always does, and He's very hungry after the ride."

"Of course." The cook responded.

Merida turned and stalked into the dining room, and sat down across from her brothers. Her mother started on her at once. "Merida! Where have you been?! I've been asking about to everyone, and no one knew where you'd gone!"

"I took a ride on Angus this morning, to practice my horseback archery." Merida deadpanned.

Her mother cast her a critical look before tossing a letter toward her. "I wrote to schools about your education, and a school has accepted."

Merida looked down at the thick parchment envelope. Scrawled across it in cursive was the address:

Ms M Dunbroch

Princesses Quarters

Agrabah Kingdom, Scotland.


	2. 2

Jack

The letter had turned out to be an invitation to attend some school called Hogwarts. From the look of it, this letter was likely a prank by one of the other village kids. His first thought was Aster Bunnymund, another orphaned street bound kid like himself. Aster would have thought that he had been clever to come up with a joke like this one. But something told Jack that Aster didn't write this letter. Maybe it was one of the kids that lived in the village. Maybe Jamie? No, Jamie's handwriting didn't look like this.

Whoever might have written the letter, Jack decided to just play along. He found a loose dirty bit of paper and wrote an 'I accept', then folded it up and, unsure who had given him the letter, he left it where the owl had dropped the letter. He'd ask around and find out who had attempted to prank him. He new a guilty face when he saw one.

Jack, who was really hungry by now, started gathering sticks for his fire. He prepared the flames for the days meal. Oh, how he would savor the roasted steak

…

Jack wandered through the backstreets, first he'd confront Aster, or Bunny. Jack loved nicknames and had one for each of the street kids. Nicholas St. North, was just North to Jack, Toothiana Fairy, was Tooth, and Sanderson Mansnoozie, was Sandy. He stalked through the backstreets carefully, staff first. Jack had been carrying his staff, a weirdly shaped stick, around as long as he could remember. He had probably found it the forest when he was a kid and thought it looked cool, and had started carrying it around with him everywhere ever since.

The first street kid he met was North. 'Oh well...' thought Jack, 'he had to start somewhere.' "Sup, North." He greeted the big seventeen year old. He was probably the most friendly street kid Jack new. Which you would never have thought, due to his sheer size.

"Jack!" North called out warmly, "What's up?"

"I got an interesting letter today." Jack said gaging North's reaction.

North looked genuinely interested. "_You_ got a letter? What was it..." North suddenly chuckled. "Was it a warrant for your arrest?"

"Naw, just a letter inviting me to a school." Jack said with a smirk. "_Me_, go to school, with rules and regulations, can you picture it?"

North chortled at the idea. "Jack Frost, record holder of the naughty list, goes to school."

Jack laughed along with his friend. "Anyway, see you around North."

Still chuckling North walked away.

'Well. It wasn't North', Jack moved on, and came across another street kid, Toothiana. The only girl on the streets, Tooth was tough, but when she saw Jack she smiled. Jack gave her a sly grin. Tooth, who was three years older than Jack, had always had a soft spot for him. She didn't look at any of the other street kids the same way that she looked at Jack. She fancied him, and he knew it.

"Hey, Tooth..." He greeted smoothly.

"Hi, Jack." Tooth smiled.

"So… Weird thing, I got a letter today." He started, watching her reaction.

Tooth raised and eyebrow. "A letter?"

"Ya, isn't that weird?"

"That is odd, do you have living relatives. Will they get you off the street?"

"Naw, don't get too excited, Tooth. It was an invitation to a school."

"Really! What an opportunity, you should really accept!"

"Tooth… Can you really see _me_ at a school, with _rules_?"

Tooth stared at him for a few moments, then a slow smile crept across her face. "You're right Jack, you'd never survive."

'Not Tooth either.' "Anyway, see you later, Tooth."

"Yeah, alright Jack."

They parted, Jack moved on. 'There he is, the man himself.' Aster Bunnymund had turned a corner, and was heading toward him. When he saw Jack he paused.

"Jack" He deadpanned.

"Bunny." Jack said warmly, he loved teasing Aster. The guy was just so fun to tease.

"Did you write this." Bunny said. "Because if you did, it's probably the most pathetic prank you've pulled so far."

He was brandishing a note at Jack. A thick parchment envelope, the address scrawled across it was in the same handwriting that Jack's address had been written in.

Merida

Diagon Alley was huge. Full of shops that held things that Merida would need for her first year of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft, and Wizardry. As annoyed as Merida was that her mother, Queen Elinor, had decided to plan out the rest of her life without even consulting her about it. Merida couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of Hogwarts, she'd be on her own, and away from her family for the first time in her life.

She had already gotten her spell books, potion ingredients, crystal vials, cauldron, scales, and owl. All that was left on her list were her robes, and her wand.

She and her Mum had stopped for lunch. "Your Dad went to Hogwarts. I went to Beauxbatons. I was really hoping you'd go to Beauxbatons, but the kids that live near Beauxbatons get in first, and they didn't have enough room for you. Besides, Hogwarts is closer. You won't be going nearly to far as France. Just to England, which as you saw on the trip here, is not so far away. It will be good for you to learn magic, but remember darling our Subjects are made up of mostly Muggles, you can't go around using magic as you please at home."

Merida listened to her Mum's pep talk without much interest. She ate, enjoying the cottage pie, that she had ordered. Her Mum started on her Haggis. When they had finish eating her Mum said. "Lets get your robes first, then get you a wand."

They headed off to Madame Malkins without another word on the subject. Merida entered the shop and was met by a woman who had her stand on a stool while she fitted robes on her. While she was standing there the door to the shop tinkled. "Ah, come and get up on a stool and I'll be with you in a mo." Said the woman who was pinning up Merida's robes to fit her better.

Merida looked around at the boy that had entered, he was about her age with brown hair, and brown eyes. 'He was a rather handsome boy' Merida observed. He turned and flashed her a grin. 'He had all his first teeth' was Merida's second observation.

"Hi, what's your name?" The boy asked her.

"Merida."

"Good name, my names Peter, Peter Pan." The boy said proudly.

"That is a good name too." Merida told him, so as not to be rude.

"First year going?" Peter asked her.

"Yep, and your's too, I reckon."

"Yeah."

Before they could talk much more the woman interrupted them. "Alright, you're done dear."

Merida hopped off the stool. "Well, I guess I'll see you at Hogwarts then."

"I suppose." The boy said, and Merida left.

She met her Mum outside and they headed towards Ollivanders. They went in and a wizened old man was stand behind a counter of a dusty old shop, greeted them. "You're here for your first wand." He said squinting down at Merida.

"Yeah." She said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Hold out your wand arm."

And the measuring began, from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, around her head. Mr. Ollivander walked away to look through dusty boxes, but he tape measure was still moving. It measured from eyes to hair, then from nose to chin.

When Mr Ollivander looked back at her the tape measure was measuring between her nostrils. "That will do," Ollivander told it. The tape measure went limp and crumpled into a heap on the floor.

They went through wands, so many that Merida lost count until they came across _her_ wand. Almost as soon as she saw it she knew it was hers. 9 inches, Willow, with a Dragon Heartstring core. She was set to go to Hogwarts. She would be the best Witch she could possibly be.

Hiccup

The train station was full of people. Hiccup's dad, Stoick the Vast, had dropped him off, with a "Goodluck." and a wave. Stoick had spent the entire trip to Diagon Alley talking about his days at Hogwarts. He had been a Gryffindor, and hoped that Hiccup would be in that house also. He talked of the good old days, when he had been at Hogwarts. "I met your Mother there you know." He told Hiccup on the way to the train station.

Now they were here. What was he supposed to do next. Where was platform 93/4. He had found a platform 9 and a platform 10, but no 93/4. Then he saw a familiar head of hair. Well, more like a floor of hair. The girl he had met in the bookshop at Diagon Alley was standing next to a brick wall between platforms 9 and 10. She seemed to be studying it, she reached out a hand and touched it, but her hand fell right through the wall. Hiccup hurried over to her.

"Rapunzel." He called.

She gave a little start, then turned around, saw Hiccup, smiled at him and waved. "Hi, Hiccup." She said when he was close enough that she wouldn't need to raise her voice.

"Have you found the platform?" He asked her. "Because I'm entirely lost, and confused."

Rapunzel turned back to the wall. "According to what I've read about Hogwarts. This is the entrance to the platform." Without waiting for Hiccup to respond she stepped forward and walked right through the wall, dragging her luggage behind her.

Hiccup quickly followed her. He found himself in a much dirtier platform than any of the others he had seen so far in Kings Cross Station. He spotted a sign not to far away that had the number 93/4 on it. Rapunzel was easy to find, he just followed her hair. Which led him toward the train.

Suddenly Hiccuped forgot about finding Rapunzel as a commotion sounded behind him. "DON'T YOU DARE!" came a clear and angry voice from somewhere near the middle of the platform.

"What's wrong, Ginger." Came a mocking voice. In comparison to the roar Hiccup had heard earlier, this new voice was quiet, but it was confident, almost lazy.

"MY NAME ISN'T GINGER!"

"What ever you say, Ginger."

"SHUSH UP, YOU POMPOUS LITTLE PUKE! OH, AND NEXT TIME TRY WATCHING WHERE YOU PUT THAT STAFF!"

By now Hiccup had found the location of the yelling. A red haired girl was just about ready to give a silver haired boy a beating. Hiccup made his way through the crowd, and grabbed hold of the silver haired boys wrist. "C'mon" He whispered, "Lets find a compartment in the train before they all fill up."

The boys smirk changed to surprise when he turned his attention on Hiccup. Hiccup prayed to the Gods that he hadn't made this worse for the fight, or for himself. The boy with silver hair seemed to be considering him, then with a shrug he let Hiccup lead him away from the Dragon lady who was still glaring daggers at the silver haired boy.

As they left the ginger girl behind, Hiccup finally spoke to the boy normally. "My names Hiccup." He said introducing himself.

The boy smirked at him. "Hiccup? Funny name. My name is Jack." He glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to Hiccup. "I'm sorry you had to see that, but I think I pushed Ginger a little over the edge today. She got pretty upset."

"I saw." Hiccup replied simply.

"So Hic, is this going to be your first year at this Hogwarts school."

"Yeah."

"Oh, so you can't tell me what it's like there..."

"No, All I know is that it's a School of Magic, but we can discover more about it together."

Jack grinned at him, "alright." The two of them had found an empty compartment near the back of the train. The two of them loaded their luggage on the luggage rack and settled down. This was it, he was on the train, he was on his way to Hogwarts.

Rapunzel

Where was Hiccup, he had been right behind her. Rapunzel felt lost without a friend. "Hiccup?" She called again. She had flattened herself against a compartment door so as not to be in the way of any possible ruffian, thugs, or man with pointy teeth. "Hiccup?!" She called again.

"Who's Hiccup? Your toad?"

"Toad?" Rapunzel was confused. "Hiccup is a boy?..." She turned to see a face surrounded by thick tangles of red hair. "Who are you." She asked the girl tentatively…

"I am Merida, who are you?"

Rapunzel smiled, this girl seemed nice, maybe she'd be her friend. "Rapunzel"

"Rapelzle?"

"Rapunzel." Rapunzel corrected her.

"Do you need some help with your hair. We're leaving in five minutes and some of your hair is still out on the platform, I followed it to you."

"I could use a friends help." Rapunzel responded hopefully.

The girl, Merida, was now gathering bunches of Rapunzels hair in her arms. "Lets find a compartment."

The two girls went down the isle of compartments. "Full, full, full.." Merida muttered as they past.

"Full, full, full."

"This one has room." Rapunzel said brightly, looking into a compartment with just two boys in it.

Merida glanced in the compartment. "No. Lets find an empty one." She said quickly.

Then Rapunzel saw Hiccup. "No, wait. That Hiccup! This compartments perfect."

Merida gave Rapunzel a deadpan look, but Rapunzel thought nothing of it. She slid the door open and called out a greeting to Hiccup. "Hi, Hiccup."

"Hey, pretty girl." The other boy answered her before Hiccup could respond.

Rapunzel felt herself blush slightly, he thought she was pretty. She focused her attention on the boy. He had silver colored hair, and crystal clear blue eyes. She felt herself blush deeper. 'He was a pretty boy...'

Merida stepped in front of Rapunzel. "Don't talk to her, you twit!"

"Oh, Ginger." The boy said. "It's you. I didn't see you there."

"Are you saying you didn't notice me!"

"Well, yeah I guess that's what I'm saying." Silver head smirked.

"Hey guys can you not fight in the compartment. I really don't want to die,and you'll bring Rapunzel into this. She doesn't deserve that."

Silver head and Merida glanced at Rapunzel, and she watched as Silver head sat back down, and Merida huffed away her anger. Rapunzel took a seat across from Hiccup, Merida sat beside the window seat across from Silver head and turned pointedly toward the window.

The silver haired boy on the other hand leaned forward. "So.. Your names Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel nodded shyly.

"I'm Jack, Jack Frost." The boy said confidently. He smiled at her, and she found herself smiling back. Just out of her tower, and she had already made three friends.

Hiccup nudged Jack. "Quite flirting." He muttered.

Rapunzel looked at Hiccup. 'What's flirting' she wondered.

"So, Punzie." Jack said after a few moments silence. "Where are you from?"

Suddenly Rapunzel felt uncomfortable. 'Where was she from. The tower? Her life had never truly begun until now.' She thought of her departure from The Tower. Her mother would be coming back from her trip to find an empty tower, and her letter explaining what she had done.

Her silence seemed to have answered Jack question for him. "Never mind." He said. "If you don't want to tell me, I understand."

"I'm from Berk." Hiccup said to break the awkward silence.

"Where's that?" Jack asked.

"In the Netherlands." Hiccup answered.

"I from America. It was pretty cool hearing that I'd be going to Europe for my education." Jack told them.

There was another silence. "Hey, Ginger! Where are you from?" Jack asked Merida.

Merida ignored him. "Aw. Come on, you're not still brooding are you."

"I'm not brooding!" She snapped at him. "It just so happens that I'm from Scotland. My parents are the King and Queen of …"

"Oh." Jack smirked. "So you're a princess."

"Yeah, so watch your back, American boy."

"If you keep making me feel so welcome. I might start to think you like me." Jack teased.

Merida and Jack made identical grossed out faces. "In your dreams, Yanky." Merida said.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Hiccup asked the compartment at large.

"Gryffindor, definitely, Gryffindor." Merida said at once.

"I'm not sure what the houses are…" Rapunzel told them honestly.

"Yeah." Jack said looking from Hiccup to Merida. "What were the houses again?"

"Gryffindor and Slytherin." Merida started.

"And Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw." Hiccup finished for her.

"How are we sorted?" Rapunzel asked them.

The rest of the train ride was spent explaining the houses, and trying to guess which house each of them would be put into. Merida was convinced Jack would be in Slytherin, Hiccup on the other hand said that Jack would probably be in Gryffindor. Rapunzel thought Hiccup would be a Gryffindor. Jack was sure Rapunzel would be a Hufflepuff. Hiccup said that Rapunzel was more of a Ravenclaw. This conversation entertained all of them until they arrived at Hogwarts. Rapunzel felt the warmth of friendship deep in her heart, she was so glad she left her tower.


	3. 3

_The Hogwarts' Four Houses_

Merida

The Great Hall was enormous. Even Merida, who had been raised in a castle, was awed by the sheer size of Hogwarts, but what made it amazing was the level of magic that surrounded them. Just walking through the door into the Great Hall, Merida saw floating candles, that were clearly magically held up.

As the first years walked up the aisle between the tables, a man in his mid twenties walked along the long table at the end of the room facing the students. He placed a stool in front of the long table and then placed a ratty old hat on top of the stool. Then silence…

Merida looked around, as did some of the other first years. Everyone, teacher or student, was staring at the hat. She turned her attention to the unremarkable, ragged old hat. She felt her heart skip a beat when a wide rip opened near the brim of the hat, and it started to sing.

I may seem nothing more

Than an old ripped hat

But I'm not so boring

As the grandest cap

I can tell you all

Of the beginning of this school

I may not seem so tall

Or sleek sitting on this stool

But I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

My job is to look into your mind at that

All your secrets, ambitions, will I see

Don't try to keep them from me

For they will determine your house

The houses are the four:

Gryffindor for those with nerve

Where bravery, daring, and chivalry are the most valued traits

Hufflepuff is for those who aren't afraid to work

The patient, loyal, and fair, will find their true friends there

Ravenclaw is for those most sharp in mind

Where intelligence, knowledge, and wit, will be with their kind

Slytherin are those who aim high

Ambitious, cunning, and resourceful, they will reach the sky

Now you know the houses

Come and place me on your head

And I will tell where you belong

The hat fell limp and silent once more. The Professor, that had brought the stool and hat, now stood to address the first years. "For those who don't know me," he began, "I am Professor Longbottom, Deputy Headmaster, and the Herbology teacher." He had a roll of parchment in his hands and he looked down at it as he continued. "When I call your name, come sit on the stool and put the sorting hat on your head. It will sort you into one of the four houses. Anna Arendelle."

A girl stepped out of the line, her reddish-brown hair was pulled back in two braids. As she sat down on the stool she wriggled with suppressed excitement.

The hat seemed to consider her for a moment, then it called out, "Hufflepuff!"

The girl jumped of the seat and skipped happily toward the Hufflepuff table that was cheering her.

"Elsa Arendelle" **(note: I know she's older, but I really wanted to sort her and her sister together so, for this story, they are twins.)**

A girl with very white hair walked gracefully up to the stool, and planted herself on it. The hat was ready for her.

"Ravenclaw!"

She walked toward the Ravenclaw table who was applauding her.

"Aster Bunnymund." A black haired boy, was the first, "Gryffindor!"

Merida stared excitedly at the table as it roared its greeting to the boy.

"Lumiere Candlestick" A tall skinny blonde boy, was sorted into "Hufflepuff!" After him a "Cogsworth Clock" a rotund boy, joined him.

"Wendy Darling" a pretty light brown haired girl went to "Gryffindor!"

"Merida Dunbroch," Professor Longbottom called out.

Merida strode up to the stool, and shoved the hat on her head eagerly. 'You are easy to place.' said a voice in her ear.

"Gryffindor!"

Merida felt extremely pleased as she ran to the Gryffindor table and started high fiving any hand within reach. One of the Gryffindors patted her on the back. She turned her attention, still grinning, back to the sorting hat.

"Mulan Fa." A chinese girl with short hair, went, after a long consideration, to:

"Slytherin!"

Then, "Jack Frost."

Merida watched as Silver head walked lazily up to the stool, and placed the hat on his head. It had barely touched the scums head when it dubbed him.

"Slytherin!"

He walked over to the Slytherin table, where he joined the Mulan girl. The Slytherins were cheering him, as he sat down.

"Eugene Fitzherbert" A brown haired boy joined Jack and Mulan at the Slytherin table.

"Rapunzel Gothel." The nice girl with the endless hair, was sent to "Ravenclaw." She sat next to Elsa, who smiled kindly at her.

"Hiccup Haddock," after a long consideration, joined the kind faces at the Hufflepuff table.

Then a "Fish Legs." Went to Ravenclaw. "Gaston LeGume" was sorted Slytherin. "Belle Maurice" joined the Ravenclaws. A second pair of twins by the name of "Nut," became Gryffindors. "Peter Pan," who Merida had met at Diagon Alley, joined her at the Gryffindor table. A "Violet Parr" went to Ravenclaw. _Finally_ a "Kristoff Troll" became a:

"Hufflepuff!"

Professor Longbottom took the Sorting Hat and stool away and a strict looking woman stood up from the big chair in the center of the long table. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts." She smiled down at the students, then raised her wand and waved it. "Enjoy."

Merida's mouth fell open, about a hundred different dishes had materialized in front of her. She barely noticed what she was grabbing and just began filling her plate. Everything looked good, and she didn't care what she ate first. Her plate full, she began shoveling food into her mouth with eager haste. Every bit sang in her mouth before she swallowed it.

She had gotten her choice house, already made a few friends, and was stuffing food down her throat. This was going to be the best year of her life.

Jack

Jack's trip to Diagon Alley had been an interesting one, word must have gotten to Hogwarts that Jack was a street kid, because a Giant of a man, called Hagrid, came to get him and Aster. He took them to Diagon Alley, for their school stuff. Then got them rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, where Jack spent his time until his departure to Hogwarts on the Express. He grinned to himself when he remembered his fight on the platform before he had even gotten onto the train. He had been walking with his staff resting on his shoulders, and was holding it in place by resting his wrists on either side of the staff. He had carelessly bumped someone in the head as he walked by them..

The girl he had hit had turned on him, "Excuse me." She had said pointedly to him.

"You're excused." He answered cheekily.

"Well you're not." The girl had growled at him, her face beginning to turn red. "Most people apologize to people they smack with sticks."

"Well, I guess I'm not 'most people', Ginger." He had said smoothly. "And I didn't smack you, it was more of a little bump." He said, swinging his staff toward her so as to bump her with the amount of force he had thought he'd used earlier.

The Ginger girl had grabbed his staff before it hit her and was glaring at him, her face as red as her hair now "DON'T YOU DARE!" She shouted at him

"What's wrong, Ginger." He had said lazily, smirking at her.

"MY NAME ISN'T GINGER!" She bellowed at him.

"What ever you say, Ginger." He smirked.

"SHUSH UP, YOU POMPOUS LITTLE PUKE! OH, AND NEXT TIME TRY WATCHING WHERE YOU PUT THAT STAFF!" The red haired girl had bellowed at him, she had her fists raised ready to give him a strong sturdy punch to the face. Just then someone behind him had grabbed his wrists.

"C'mon" The brown haired boy had whispered, "Lets find a compartment in the train before they all fill up."

Deciding to take the excuse, to escape a beating, Jack let the boy lead him away. On the ride over he had ended up sharing his compartment with the boy, Hiccup, and the ginger girl, Merida, and an attractive blonde, Rapunzel. Thinking about it now while he lay on top of the covers in the Slytherin Common Room, Jack smirked. He had three new friends.

He thought of Hiccup. He had really grown to like the boy. Hiccup didn't mind Jack's teasing, seemed to enjoy Jacks company, and had fascinating stories about dragons attacking his home town regularly. Merida, on the other hand, wouldn't take any of Jack's teasing, seemed to hate his company, and had hardly spoken a civil word to him. He'd enjoy messing with her. Rapunzel seemed sweet, and innocent, not to mention her beauty. He had seen the way she had blushed when he had called her pretty, which meant she was humble to. He'd try not to tease her too much. He had to admit, he liked her. For some reason she reminded him of his dead little sister, Mary.

Mary had been too sweet, and innocent for the rough life on the streets that she was born in. Soon after their parents died, she had caught a sickness. Without the proper treatment, housing, and nourishment, she had died. Leaving Jack, and going to the perfect place where she would never get sick again.

Jack closed his eyes, crushing any weakening grief that had stirred inside of him at the memory of his sister. He felt the comfort of the soft bed under him. He suddenly felt exhausted, and let himself fall into a deep sleep.

Jack opened his eyes to a familiar room. He was in his parents room, lying on their bed. He sat up to see his sister, Mary, sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked healthy and happy, and she grinned over at him when he caught her eye. "Mary?"

"Jack, you're awake!" She said.

He got off the bed and enveloped her in a hug. "It's so good to see you." He felt tears glisten in his eyes, he closed them. He didn't want to let her go.

"Its okay, Jack. I never really left you." Mary said hugging him back. "I'm just glad your happy. Not many who've died and left loved ones behind, see them recover like you did, and I'm so happy you did."

She let go of him, and he grudgingly released her. "I must go." She told him. "Mom and Dad are expecting me."

"Don't leave." Jack begged.

"I must." She told him softly, she turned and walked through the door, closing it behind her.

Jack ran to the door and desperately wrestled with the door knob. It was locked, she had gone where he couldn't go after her. "Please, visit me again!" He called through the door.

Gaston let out a particularly loud snore that jerked Jack out of his dream. Jack sat up, and looked around, but finding himself in the Slytherin Common room, slumped back down again. It took him a moment to realize that his face was wet. He quickly dried his eyes, hopped silently out of bed, and began pacing the room restlessly. "Please, visit me again." He whispered.

A warm presents seemed to close around him, embracing him."I never left."

Rapunzel

The circular Ravenclaw Tower, reminded Rapunzel a lot of her home. It was as if this school had gone out of it's way to make her feel welcome, and she appreciated it. Her room mates, Elsa, Belle, and Violet, were very nice to. They had let her have the bed by the window when she had asked for it. The four girls had stayed up a little longer after the feast talking. They all introduced themselves. Rapunzel had expressed her desire that they would all become friends. Belle had talked, nonstop, about all the books she had ever read. Elsa mostly listened, politely, once she was in her night clothes. Violet sat on her bed and immersed herself in a book, her black hair swinging to cover her face.

That morning Elsa had kindly woken Rapunzel up and told her that she would be heading down to breakfast if Rapunzel wanted to join her. Rapunzel had dressed quickly, in her new school robes. Then brushed, and brushed, and brushed her hair. Belle had watched her brushing it, and asked her if she wanted it braided, so that it would be out of her way.

Rapunzel had never had her hair braided before, and had only read about it in books. She told Belle this, and asked her if she would please teach her how to braid hair sometime. For now she sat still and, feeling excited about the prospect of braided hair, let Belle braid her hair. By the time Belle had finished her hair reached her knees, and didn't trail on the ground anymore.

The three girls headed down to breakfast, meeting Elsa there, and Rapunzel enjoyed another delicious meal, eggs, bacon, and toast. She received her schedule for the week. This morning she'd have Charms with the Slytherins. 'That meant she would get to take that class with Jack!' Then she'd have Potions with the Hufflepuffs. 'So, she'd get to see Hiccup!' Then lunch, after lunch she'd have Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. 'She'd be with Merida!' Finally she'd have her first ever flying lesson with all the first years. 'She'd be flying with all of her friends!'

Rapunzel felt very optimistic, that this was going to be a great day! She walked toward her first lesson, Charms, with her Ravenclaw friends. When she arrived the looked around for Jack, She spotted him in a back corner seat. She was sitting staring straight ahead of him, lost in thought. She walked over and sat next to him. "Jack?"

Jack looked at her, and his face seemed to brighten, he grinned at her. "Rapunzel." He said welcomingly. "How was your first night here?"

"Wonderful!" Rapunzel said, and she began to tell him all about her roommates, and her soft warm bed, and how her tower looked like her home. Jack smiled indulgently at her, letting her talk. He seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.

When she had finished, he said, "It sounds like you've been enjoying yourself." Then he leaned toward her and whispered. "Do any of your roommates snore? Mine do."

Rapunzel laughed quietly and whispered back. "No, but my mother snores."

"Your mother?" Jack said, a grin spreading across his face. "What's she like."

Rapunzel felt awkward again. She thought about her answer carefully. Finally the said simply. "Mother is kind to me."

Before Jack could reply the Charms teacher, Professor Mim, an old, and rather comical looking witch with lavender colored hair, and acid green colored eyes, started class. "Welcome to Charms class." She said.

"I am the Magnificent, Marvelous, Mad, Madame Mim, but you will address me as Professor Mim." That was how the class was started, they were given a feather and told to levitate it. Rapunzel was able to do this easily. She watched as Jack struggled with it for a bit. Saying the words wrong each time.

"Windgardium Leviosa." Jack said pointing his wand at a little white feather. Nothing happened.

"Wingardium Leviosa" Rapunzel said causing her feather to soar upward once more.

"Wingardium Leviosa" Jack said, correctly this time, and his feather soared upward. He smiled at her, "thanks."

She smiled back knowingly, "Your welcome." They flew their feathers around the classroom until the bell rang.

She parted with Jack, "I'll see you during flying lessons." She told him excitedly.

"Alright, see you then." Jack said then moved on to a transfiguration class that he was having with the Gryffindors.

Rapunzel walked into the Potions Classroom, down in the Dungeons. She spotted Hiccup immediately, he had seated himself in the seat nearest the door. She joined him, sitting in the seat to the right of him. When she had sat down, Hiccup turned his head to look at her. He smiled toothily at her.

"Hi, Rapunzel." He greeted brightly.

"Hi, Hiccup." She smiled at him.

"Hello, Class." said a female voice that came from the front of the room. Rapunzel looked up to see a tall, and rather fat lady. She had white hair, green eyes, and the reddest lips Rapunzel had ever seen. "Welcome to Potions Class."

Rapunzel glanced at Hiccup, he looked nervous. "My name is Professor Ursula, and I will be teaching you the art and exactness of potion making."

"How hard could potion making be?" Whispered Belle, from beside Rapunzel.

They soon found out. If an ingredient is not added at just the right time, or if there was a single missed measurement, the whole potion would be ruined. Belled stirred her quills too many times and her potion began to spark. Hiccup added six beetle eyes instead of five, and his potion hardened from a lime colored liquid into a weird green putty mixture. The Hufflepuff girl in front of Rapunzel, Anna, was trying to put out a fire that was emanating from her potion, which had turned turquoise.

Rapunzel, very carefully added two drops of salamander blood to her own potion, it hissed and turned a purple color. She was silently glad that she had put so much of her time into cooking when she had lived in her tower. Exact measurements, that part was easy for her, but the timing, was what made this the more advanced and difficult science. She added a pinch of powdered snake fang. Her potion went from purple to a lighter lavender color.

Professor Ursula was walking from student to student evaluating their progress, as she approached Rapunzels table, Rapunzel was carefully stirring her potion until it turned white. "That is very good." The professor, complemented her. "I believe you have talent."

Rapunzel felt a glow from the praise, then the bell rang, and she and Hiccup headed toward lunch together.

Hiccup

Hiccup enjoyed lunch, Rapunzel had insisted he sit with her at the Ravenclaw table. Jack showed up and joined them, and Merida came in and saw the three of them together. She hesitated, glaring at Jack, then came over and sat next to Rapunzel. The four of them conversed about their first two classes. Hiccup told them about History of Magic with the Gryffindors, and Merida added. "That, Professor Binns, is the most boring teacher I have ever had, and I grew up with my mother."

Then Rapunzel told them about being praised in Potions. "She deserved it, potion making is hard." Hiccup put in.

Jack talked about Charms class with Rapunzel. "She was great, got that feather up before anyone else did."

Merida glared at Jack when she told the rest of the group about Transfigurations class. "That dung brain, almost caught my hair on fire!"

They all talked, laughed, and ate together until lunch was over. Hiccup separated from the girls and walked with Jack to the greenhouse, for Herbology. They walked in and found a table near the back of the class. Professor Longbottom was working with some soil, Hiccup saw that a leafy plant was sticking out from the soil. "Today we will be working with Mandrakes." He told them. "I normally would save them for your second year, but it would be best to work with them while they were young."

He handed each table a pair of earmuffs. "These will block out all sound, so don't put them on until I explain how to repot a Mandrake."

'The class went pretty well', Hiccup thought, he had been able to repot his Mandrake without a hitch. Next to him, Jack struggled to bury his Mandrake. The plant was flailing around so bad that it was sending soil everywhere but in the pot.

The next class, for both of them, would be _flying. _Hiccup couldn't wait. He'd be with all three of his friends, and he'd get to feel what it was like to soar around like a dragon. He met Rapunzel and Merida outside where the brooms were. He and Jack joined the girls, who were standing next to a pair of brooms. Jack stood next to Rapunzel, and Hiccup stood next to Merida.

A man, that looked fresh out of school ,came up the the first year students. "Welcome to your first flying lesson." He said smiling. "My name is Professor Carpet, but you can call me Aladdin." He explained that in order to get their broom, they had to stick their right hand over it and day, "up."

Hiccup tried it, and was pleased when his broom responded immediately. Jacks did too, and Merida's. Rapunzel's took a little goading, but it rose after a few tries. After all of the student were holding their brooms Aladdin told them to kick off from the ground hard, to hover for a moment, then lean forward and touch the ground. Hiccup and his three friend did that easily, so they were aloud to try flying around in a circle ten feet up. This just seemed so natural to Hiccup. He glanced at Jack who was gliding like he'd done this for years. Rapunzel seemed to be struggling a little more than the rest of them. Merida was diving in exaggerated motions before swooping back up to join them.

"So, how was your class after lunch?" Jack called to the girls.

"It was really good." Rapunzel said. "Merida was really good at it."

"Really..." Hiccup looked over at Merida.

She looked pleased with the complement. "Yeah, I love Defence Against the Dark Arts. I'm training to take down people like Jack."

Jack laughed. "Good." He called. "I should arm myself against myself too."

Hiccup laughed. "I think we all need protection from you, Jack."

Rapunzel looked from one to the next. "Jack isn't dangerous."

The other two laughed harder, Hiccup joined in. Jack laughed himself off his broom. For a second he was falling, then his hand shot out and grabbed the handle of the broom. The quick scare sobered him, but caused Hiccup and Merida to laugh harder.

Jack recovered and lifted himself back onto his broom. He flew over to where Rapunzel was hovering, a bemused expression on her face, and put his arm around her shoulders. "Rapunzel, we love you."

Rapunzel gave him a confused smile. "I'm glad you all love me." She said innocently.

Flying class ended, and they headed to dinner. Again, another phenomenal meal, this time they sat at their house table.

Hiccup's first day at a magic school, had been full of fun. He had worked hard and had been rewarded for his efforts, by seeing the progress he had made in magic, on his first day


	4. 4

_Return to the Tower_

Rapunzel

The first week of school passed in a haze of excitement for Rapunzel. She enjoyed the company of the three other Ravenclaw girls. She loved hanging out with the Jack, Merida, and Hiccup in, and outside, of class. As the week went by, and they began to receive homework, Rapunzel discovered a place in the castle that she loved even more than the Ravenclaw Tower, or the Great Hall. **_The Library!_** She had found an absolute treasure trove of knowledge. She often got side tracked when working on a homework assignment. When she read through a potions book for an essay on how to properly extract a bezoar from a goat. She was so fascinated by the book that she hardly forgot to stop and take notes. She read on right past the description, to the next page which talked about Monkshood, and Wolfsbane.

Later while she was working on charms research, 'From feathers to blocks. What makes them fly.' She read right on past where they were meant to read for class, and continued until she read. 'This charm is one of many more complex charms that were used on carpets, and brooms, to make them efficient ways of transportation by air. For instance in 'The Charms to Charm a Broomstick'….

Her curiosity aroused Rapunzel got up and searched the library for 'The Charms to Charm a Broomstick.' She found it and learned about all of the spells used on a broomstick. Not to mention the type of wood used, and the fact that it must be soaked in a certain kind of potion during the crescent moon for it to reach the desirable density.

Defense against the dark arts was probably one of the most interesting subjects Rapunzel had. The study of the Dark Arts in order to form a defense against them. Rapunzel didn't know why, but she love it. Know your enemy, and you know their weakness.

Transfiguration, a difficult and complex subject, had very interesting reading also. The correct way to transfigure a piece of hay into a needle, was to literally believe it was a needle, and not a piece of hay. Peter Pan had a real knack for this.

History of Magic was a highly fascinating subject, taught by a thoroughly dull teacher. Rapunzel had already read a History of Magic, several times through. She felt a little thrill at the thought of her past History of Magic class which had taken place on thursday. She had the class with the Slytherins, and she and Jack had stayed long enough to be counted at roll call, then they had snuck out of class. Rapunzel felt a sort of child like excitement at the prospect of breaking the rules. She had suppressed a sort of victorious shout when they had made it to the hallway. She had done a little skip and whispered to Jack, "We made it out! I feel like a criminal."

He laughed quietly, his eyes glinting with something that Rapunzel translated to be excitement. "Yeah, were so bad."

"Bad? Who knew feeling 'bad' would feel so good!"

They had snuck outside and taken a turn around the lake. Jack had stopped by a tree and leaned against it, sliding down into a sitting position. Rapunzel sat next to him. "I must be going through a rebellious streak." She told him.

Jack grinned, "Why would you say that?"

Rapunzel smiled back, "Well first I ran away, and now I'm skipping class. I can't see what else it could be. You see I've read about rebellious stages in my books, and..."

Jack interrupted her, "Whoah, Whoah, Whoah… You ran away? What from home?"

Rapunzel looked over at Jack, then felt panic well up in her chest. "Uh.. Sort of.." She wished she had just kept her mouth shut.

Jack fixed her with a determined stare, and she knew he wouldn't stop until he got the truth out of her. "Why?"

Rapunzel took a deep breath. "Because I knew mother would never let me leave. She forbade me from ever leaving the tower... Or maybe if I had just talked to her, she might have let me go." Rapunzel felt miserably as the idea occurred to her. "Oh, what have I done."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself." Jack told her firmly. "It's not like this will kill her, right?"

Rapunzel looked at him and felt her panic grow. "Oh my gosh, this would kill her." She buried her head in her hands.

"Hey." Jack was stern. "Any mother that is going to forever ground their child to their house, or in your case tower, and not let them outside, is just..." She watched him as his voice faded while he struggled to find the right word. "...a tyrant."

"Oh, no." Rapunzel defended her mother at once. "Mother is not a tyrant. She just wanted to protect me from what was out here."

"Like what?" Jack asked her tentatively.

"Like poison ivy, quicksand, snakes, and large bugs."

Jack gave her a long look. "Rapunzel, I've lived out on the street for most of my life, and I haven't even seen half of those dangers."

"Really?"

"Really, I think your mother was just trying to keep you in the tower."

"Why would she do that?"

"Maybe she is just over protective," Jack continued, almost more to himself than to her, "but I think there was more to it than that..."

"What do you mean." Rapunzel stared worriedly at him. He looked at her, and his face seemed to soften.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Punzie, but you shouldn't beat yourself up about leaving that tower." He told her firmly.

She took comfort in his words. At of all of her friends, he was the one she had finally confided in. She felt strangely free now. Somehow, she knew she could trust Jack.

Hiccup

The first week seemed to fly by for Hiccup, until Friday. During Defence Against the Dark Arts with Rapunzel. She was performing spectacularly, as usual, when halfway through class the teacher, Professor Parr, called her out into the hall to have a little chat. She never came back. Hiccup had watched her go, and just before the door closed behind her, Hiccup had seen a woman with curly black hair waiting out in the hall. She looked grim, and Hiccup wondered who she was.

The class ended, and Hiccup headed for Lunch. He spotted Merida at the Ravenclaw table waiting for Rapunzel and he went to sit with her. Jack joined them moments later. "Have either of you seen Rapunzel?" He asked Hiccup, and Merida.

Hiccup shook his head, and Merida said, "I was going to ask you that."

"She left during Defence Against the Dark Arts." Hiccup told them. "I haven't seen her since."

Jack narrowed his eyes, "Did she leave with anyone?"

"Professor Parr called her out to talk. I think to a woman that I saw in the hallway before the door closed." Hiccup explained, hoping they'd understand. He wasn't the best at explaining situations. "She looked grim, the woman, I mean..."

Jack stood up, "We need to find her."

"I agree." Merida stood too.

Hiccup stared at the two of them in amazement. They were working together, agreeing on something! He felt a grin creep across his face. "Alright, but where do we look."

Jack studied him for a moment thinking, "We'll find Professor Parr, and ask him about the talk, and if he knows where Rapunzel is." He decided.

"I think I know where he is." Merida put in. "I've often seen him napping during this period, in his office."

They followed Merida out of the Great Hall.

They found Professor Parr, who told them that a woman had come to bring Rapunzel home, "her mother" he had told them.

Jacks face darkened considerably. "We need to go get her back." He told the rest when they had left Professor Parr behind to nap. "Her mother took her away to imprison her at home again."

"Is her mother dangerous." Hiccup asked alarmed by Jacks tone.

"I don't know for sure, but she's definitely been keeping Rapunzel under a permanent house arrest for as long as the girl can remember. I can't let her go back to that, not after she finally broke free." He looked at Hiccup, his eyes serious.

"We have to get her back," Merida agreed, "but we don't even know where she lives. All we know is she lives in a tower in a valley somewhere."

They all fell silent at that. Finally Jack spoke up. "I might have an idea where this tower is..."

Jack had a glitter of mischief in his eyes. "As a younger more innocent child."

Merida snorted.

"Well more innocent than I am now." Jack corrected himself. "I stumbled across a wizarding city not to far from my home in the United States. In my short stay there, this was when my parents were still alive, I wandered into a nearby forest." Jack paused, he looked reluctant to go on. "Being the curious nuisance that I am, I explored the forest with no thought of my worried parents. When I heard my parents calling me, I was having so much fun you see, I didn't want to leave. So I hid behind some hanging leaves that caved in at my touch and revealed a small tunnel, I explored the small tunnel and came across a small hidden valley. In that valley was a tower." He paused again and Hiccup could see that he wasn't sure how they'd take this random piece of information.

"I don't know.." Merida said. "Its a real stab in the dark, and it seems a little too good to be true."

"I say we go, Rapunzel is worth any detour." Hiccup added, backing up Jack.

"Your right, of course." Merida conceded.

"How are we going to get out of school. I can't see Headmistress McGonagall, be all that happy with us just leaving school in search of Rapunzel." Hiccup pointed out.

"Leave that to me." Merida said her eyes glinting.

Merida

They left after dinner, while it was still light out. Merida knew how they were going to get out of Hogwarts from the start. Her biggest worry had been, where they were going to go from there. Now that they had solved that problem, she lead the boys to the broom shed out in the grounds.

She picked the lock expertly and within minutes was coming out of the shed with three decent Clean Sweep 11s. She tossed one to each of the boys who caught theres in turn. Hiccup fumbled a little when he caught his, and Merida felt her heart go out to the boy.

She had searched her feeling within the first week of school and had decided that Hiccup was okay. When she had seen him grab Jack's arm and lead him away on the train station she had her doubts, but the boy seemed completely the opposite of Jack. For one thing Hiccups idea of a good time didn't include catching her hair on fire. For another he was sensitive to the feelings of others.

She thought about Rapunzel, and felt her chest grow tight. She had come to adore the sweet girl. She was like the younger sister Merida never had. She would walk through fire to make sure that Rapunzel was safe. Rapunzel was the peacemaker of the group. The one that kept everyone together. This trip to rescue her proved it. They were willing to work together, in order to ensure her a safe return.

Merida even found herself agreeing silver head slytherin. Jack made her stomach boil with annoyance. The idiot had no filter, and was one of the biggest pains in the rear Merida had ever met, and she had grown up with her mother, and the triplets.

They had been flying for about a half an hour and where flying over the train tracks, when Hiccup spoke up shivering with cold. "Could we stop somewhere soon and try floo powder."

Merida glanced at the boy. "Floo Powder? Do you have any." Secretly she didn't much like traveling by floo powder, but she was starting to feel chilly up near the clouds.

"In my pocket." Hiccup responded. "If we can just get to Diagon Alley, we could go almost anywhere." He glanced at Jack. "Do you know of any fireplaces near your home that we could try?"

"Fireplaces?" Jack said confused. "Why fireplaces?"

"Thats how floo powder works." Hiccup explained. "Do you know of any house's address with a fireplace?"

Jack thought for a moment. "We could try Jamies house. His parents and my parents were close friends, they might be magic."

They arrived at the alley way that opened onto Diagon Alley. It was growing dark by now, and the shops were closing for the night. Merida led the boys into the bookshop where they hid among the rows and rows of books, until the shop keeper turned off the lights and locked the door behind her.

"Okay." Hiccup whispered. "Now we need to find the fireplace in here."

Merida had caught a glimpse of the fireplace on the way into the bookstore, and lead the boys toward it.

When they had reached the fireplace Merida took the bag from Hiccup, grabbed a pinch, and shoved the bag at Jack. "Make sure he gets through okay." She told Hiccup before stepping into the fireplace and repeating the address that Jack had told them, clearly. In a whoosh of green flames she was gone.

Jack

Jack stared at the fireplace suddenly feeling anxious, he didn't much like Merida, but he could help but realize at that moment, that he wouldn't want her to die in a puff of flames.

"It's okay." Hiccup said, apparently guessing what Jack had been thinking. "It doesn't hurt, and its the most effective method of transport we've got."

Jack tried to give the bag back to Hiccup. Hiccup took it, then held it out to Jack. "You only need a pinch, you walk into the fireplace, drop the floo powder, and say your destination."

Still not sure about this whole fire travel business, Jack obeyed Hiccup, letting the powder slip through his fingers and saying the address in a low voice. Just before Hiccups face flashed from his view, he suddenly wondered who Hiccup was, and if he would have any reason to harm Jack or Merida, then the dizzying heat and speed of traveling by floo powder drove every thought from his mind.

Jack knew immediately that he hated traveling by floo powder. Moving by fire... the heat… Jack had always preferred the chill of winter to the exhausting heat of summer. The cold seemed to wake him up, while the heat made him feel lethargic and sweaty.

He felt himself going faster, and faster, until he fell out of a fireplace in Jamies house family room. His mother was sitting in an armchair her arms crossed staring down at him, Merida was standing beside her with a similar gesture of welcome.

"Listen," Jack started immediately. "Whatever you've heard from her about me is a bunch of lies. I…"

Jack fell silent as Jaime's mother rose to her feet and came toward Jack. She helped him to his feet. Then enveloped him in a hug. Jack was so taken by surprise that he just stood there gaping at Merida who was smiling at him, trying not to laugh.

"Jack, where did you go after your parents died. I was worried sick, the last I had heard of you, your sister had died of a sickness."

"I…" Jack was speechless. It had never occurred to him that he could turn to Jaime's mom after his parent had died. Tears rose to his eyes, if he had turned to this woman for help, maybe Mary would still be alive. "The streets.." he finally mumbled, trying not to let anyone see his eyes, or hear his voice quaver.

"Oh, you poor thing. You're the strongest kid I've ever met…"

Just then, to Jack's relief, Hiccup came tumbling out of the chimney. He stood up awkwardly and brushed himself off.

"We have to get going." Jack said at once.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack." Merida said. "We can't find anything in the dark like this. Mrs. Jameson has offered to let us sleep here, and we can leave at first light."

Hiccup nodded thankfully at Mrs. Jameson, "Thank you, sorry for, well…" he went slightly red, "showing up like this without invitation."

Jack didn't want to stay here, not when it brought back so many memories, and renewed the pain of so many deaths, but Merida and Hiccup seemed set on staying the night to he pushed down his own personal opinion and smiled at Mrs. Jameson, "thank you."

Jack barely slept, his dreams were dark oppressing dream when he did drift off. *...the most important… must not lose.. again… others will come…* the dark voice penetrated deep into Jack's heart, and filled his body with terror.

He woke with a start, it was still dark. In his weakened state he felt disorientated, his fear and renewed grief causing panic. He stood and paced, waiting for the first light, then shook the others. "Lets go." He whispered, and yawning and stretching they went.

They were on their way, had made it to the wizarding village that Jack:s family had visited all those years ago. Jack didn't have to look hard before he found a group of trees that looked familiar and inviting. He lead the others into the trees.

"We should split up." Hiccup said, although he didn't look like he much liked the idea.

Jack nodded his agreement, just wanting to find Rapunzel as soon as he possibly could. Hiccup went one way, and Merida followed him. Jack set off in another direction, the fear that his dream had given him was still fresh in his mind. He felt a slight chill creeping in his mind, and felt even more desperate to find Rapunzel. It was irrational, there was no reason why he should feel this way, but he did. This search had somehow connected in him the desperate feeling he had fought with when he had watched Mary die.

There was a loud shifting of branches behind Jack, and he jumped and spun around. There she was, Rapunzel stepping out from behind a tree backwards, with a frying pan in hand, her eyes darting. Jack looked down, and purposefully snapped a twig under his feet. This caused Rapunzel to swing around pan raised ready to strike.

"Jack? I-is that r-really you?" Rapunzel asked lowering the pan.

**Jack nodded his eyes wide, what had happened to Rapunzel to cause her to act like this.**


	5. 5

_Captured_

Hiccup

Hiccup had decided to split up in the hopes that Jack's panic would ease knowing that they would now find the tower more quickly. He was just as worried about Rapunzel's well being as Jack, but he found Jack's panic unnecessary, and hindering their search. He was secretly relieved when Merida followed him, he preferred her company to being alone, and truthfully having her their made him feel braver somehow.

"We are looking for the sort of hanging vines Jack told us about." Hiccup said, hoping that Merida didn't mind him taking charge.

Merida nodded and Hiccup saw her eyes taking in their surroundings carefully. Hiccup took the lead as they passed through the forest.

"Tree, tree, tree, Rock shaped like a headless horse." Merida as they walked. "... Oh, look vines hanging down from a rock formation, lets check that out."

Merida raced toward it. Hiccup followed smiling at Merida's directness. When they reached the vines, it was soon apparent that they caved into a tunnel that led to a valley that was enclosed from all sides by mountainous rocks. Nestled in the middle of the Valley was a tower built of stone bricks, ivy climbing half way up, a window near the top.

"Could that be it?" Hiccup turned to Merida.

"If that's not it," said Merida confidently. "I'm a boy."

Hiccup smiled at the comparison. He was 100% sure that Merida was not a boy, but she acted more like a rough and tumble viking, than a princess.

Now he turned his attention on the tower. "How do we get up?"

Merida walked over to the tower and circled it thoughtfully, when she had gotten almost all the way around she stopped. "There's a door here."

Hiccup hurried over to her. There was indeed a door. He tried the handle. "Locked."

Merida pulled out her tangle of wires, and began to pick the lock. She soon had the door open. Hiccup had admired her lock picking skills when she had gotten the Brooms out of the Broom Shack, where Hogwarts kept their brooms. He admired it even more now, but felt a little uneasy, knowing that locks couldn't keep anything safe from Merida.

Hesitantly Hiccup stepped into the tower, Merida following after him. He jumped slightly at a tall shadow whisking past them on the stairs. They came across no one; however, and reached the room with the window that they had seen from outside. It was a large circular room, with a few paintings on the walls, and furniture. A nice queen sized bed lay against one wall.

They stood outside the door for a moment just taking in the room, then not seeing anyone in the room, they stepped across the threshold. A net, that they had not notice lying across the threshold, suddenly sprang up trapping them both. Hiccup was nose to nose with Merida who looked as shocked as he felt.

Hiccup didn't know why but he felt his face burn at finding himself so close to Merida, and she had become rather red herself.

"W-what?" She asked breathlessly.

"I thought you'd be coming." Said a female voice from the doorway, and Hiccup shuffled around to see who it was. It was the black curly haired woman that he had seen standing outside of Professor Parr's classroom. "He said you'd come, heard it from some old lady in a shack in Ireland." The woman continued.

When Hiccup had finally recovered from the shock of being trapped in net with Merida, and the reappearance of this woman, who was apparently Rapunzel's mother, though they looked nothing alike, and was finally able to process what she had said. He asked, "Who told you we'd come?"

She looked at him distastefully, "Your Jack? Or Hiccup? Coming here to try and steal my flower away from me."

"Hiccup." Hiccup said, so she knew their names.

"You, of course, are Merida." The woman glanced at Merida, then away as if the sight of the girl hurt her eyes.

Merida was being uncharacteristically quiet. Hiccup tried again. "Who told you we'd come. We didn't know that we'd come, no one else could."

"The soothsayer told him you'd come." The woman explained.

"Who's _Him_!" Hiccup raised his voice determined to get an answer.

The woman smiled, and her eyes glittered eerily. "He is the master of shadows, the one who knows fear. He is the cause of nightmares. He is…"

Rapunzel

Yesterday had been a rough day for Rapunzel. She had been called out of class to see the worry of her mother. She had never seen Mother Gothel in such a state. 'When I realized that you had left, I was worried sick.' Her mother had said. 'I had _planned_ to homeschool you.'

Rapunzel had felt horrible, and gone home with her mother, thinking that maybe she'd try to convince her mother to let her return to Hogwarts. Surely after Mother heard about how much Rapunzel loved it there, and wanted to go back...

Rapunzel had planned to ask her the next day. That night; however, Mother Gothel had company for Dinner. Rapunzel had overheard them talking after she had been sent to bed. "This is most important," the scary man had said, "You must not lose _her_ again. The other's will come."

Confused, and scared, Rapunzel had run away that night. Using her hair, and the bed sheets, to climb down the tower wall from her window. She had untied the bed sheets from her hair and stashed them in a dark corner of the cave that separated her little world from the rest of the world, then gone running through the forest in search of the village that she knew was somewhere near here. In the dark however she found herself lost and confused, wandering the forest desperately. when the sun had fully risen over the horizon, she had run into Jack.

"Jack? Is that r-really y-you?"

"Yes." Jack looked concerned. "What happened Punzie." His nickname for her warmed and comforted her or just a moment.

Then she remembered the man's voice, when he had spoke during dinner. "Rapunzel," he had said, "your mother really does love you, you really hurt her by running away."

Rapunzel had felt like she was falling, and she felt the same way now, and sank to her knees to try and steady the world around her.

It was almost as if she could still hear his voice.

"Well, well. If it isn't Rapunzel, the girl with the magic hair, and Frost."

It was a little bit before Rapunzel's mind cleared enough, and she realized that she wasn't just remembering the terrible voice, she was hearing it.

"How do you know my name?" Jack asked, his voice strong, close to Rapunzel. She realized that he had knelt down in front of her, and had his hands on her shoulders. His bright blue eyes were staring at something over her head.

"Oh I know more than just your name Jack Frost, Son of Winter." Said the terrifying voice.

Jack let go of Rapunzel's shoulders and grabbed her wrist. "Rapunzel we have to go."

"I know you hold a tremendous amount of guilt over your sisters death." The voice continued. "As you should, if you _hadn't_ so much _faith_ in yourself, you _would_ have thought of Jaime's mother on your own."

Rapunzel focused on Jack's hand, then looked up at his face. Jack's eyes were out of focus and were staring unseeingly at the ground. His eyes were wet, but he seemed to force himself out of his pain. He focused on Rapunzel. "We have to find Merida and Hiccup."

"They are in the tower." The tall man said. "I passed them on the stairs as I left to find Rapunzel and bring her back home to her mother." He focused on Rapunzel now. "Your mother had already suffered from your first desertion, why would you leave her again so soon."

There was a silence where Jack and Rapunzel wondered what to do next.

"The answers obvious." Said the man. "You must go to the tower to get your friends. I'll escort you if you want…"

Rapunzel rose to her feet, feeling that there was no other choice in the matter, she had to protect her friends, and approached the scary man. Jack did not release her wrist. She turned look at him. His eyes were narrowed into slits. "Who are you?"

The man laughed, a cold fear invoking laugh. "I am Master of fear itself, the boogieman under your bed. I'm Pitch Black."

Jack

Jack knew that name. It was an old tale they used to tell in the village. A homeless boy, like Jack, who could strike fear in any heart. Just a myth, like the one of a boy who could control winter, and, as Jack knew only too well, myths often were derived of man's fascination, and fear, of the unexplained and unexplainable. So… This particular myth was true. This Pitch Black, was not longer a boy, he was a man now. Jack could now explain the irrational fear that had been building inside of him. This man could control fear, this knowledge allowed Jack to think around his fear paralyzed mind, and come up with a plan,

"Punzie, we don't have to go with him." Jack tried to explain, "Lets go." He turned to Pitch, "We can make our own way there."

Pitch merely shrugged studying one of his fingernails, "have it your own way~ You'll have to face me sooner or later, I could care less when..."

Jack got Punzie back to the village, the took her to Jamies house. "Stay here." He told her, "I have to find the others."

Rapunzel looked up at him and her eyes hardened, "No."

Jack felt himself staring down at her determined face in surprise.

She continued, "It's my fault you're here. It's my fault they've been captured."

"We don't know they've been captured..." Jack tried to sooth her..

"Where else could they be!" Rapunzel snapped, "They came here looking for me, Pitch said he saw them in the tower."

"We can't trust Pitch."

"You're not treating me like some damsel in distress, while you go out and risk your life."

"**I can't lose you again, Punzie!"** Jack finally raised his voice, he had grabbed Rapunzels shoulders and shook them. Rapunzel's eyes widened in surprise, and he let go quickly, surprised by his own temper. He looked away and continued softly. "You don't know how worried we were, how worried _I _was. After you talked about your mother locking you up in that tower. Frightening you into staying. Never letting you out. I knew there was something wrong. Why was she so desperate to keep you in one place? Why was she so terrified of losing you? Why were you so important to keep hidden?"

Rapunzel just stared at him, leaving his questions hanging in the air. Finally she said, "She loves me..?"

The way she said it, almost like a question… Jack looked her straight in the eyes as a sudden idea struck him. "Punzie, why do you have ten feet of hair?"

She looked down at her lap, took a deep breath, "I love my mother, she's always kept me safe, and treats me like a treasure." Jack waited stubbornly for her to continue.

"As long as I remember, I have never once gotten my hair cut. My mother said that when I was a baby someone did try to cut it." She moved her hair back and revealed a shorter brown strand of hair. "Once it's been cut, it turns brown, and loses its magic."

Jack couldn't help himself, "Magic?"

Rapunzel took a deep breath. "My hair has the ability to heal the sick and injured."

Jack let that sink in, "Why would your mother need that?" The only reason he could think of was if Rapunzel's mother had a sickness. 'Had he misjudged her?'

"She needs my hair to stay young and healthy."

'He definitely hadn't misjudged her. She was using Punzie as her own personal fountain of youth.' "I see… and Pitch Black? How long have you known him?"

"I only just met him last night."

"Okay." Jack felt the numbing fear, and shock ebbing. He was thinking clearly again. "Punzie, I have a plan. And I'll need your help."

Merida

'Stuck in a net with a boy was rather distasteful situation to be in.' Merida felt her face grow warm, and kept her eyes averted from Hiccups'. Her ears buzzed in a funny way, a woman had come in the room and said something like. ".. you'd come… Jack or Hiccup? Steal.. flower.. away. ...of course.. Merida."

At that point Merida found herself looking at ropes around her and slowly pulling out the lock picking bunch of wires from her pocket. She focused all her energy into slowly sawing through the rope in front of her, blocking out the room, and all excess noise. She got through the rope and she and Hiccup came tumbling out of the net.

Suddenly the room and sound came into focus again. "Why you! This is why I never wanted children!"

"You have Rapunzel." Hiccup pointed out. Merida had stood up and was now looking around the room, planning out a couple different routes of escape.

"Rapunzel's different! She's not like other children."

This caught Merida's attention, "How is that? Rapunzel's a girl like me."

"She's nothing like you! She's not a child! She's my _flower!_"

"She's a human girl! She's not some kind of show dog! She's human, with feelings, a wonderful personality, and… and..." Merida's voice trailed away as her emotions hit a high.

"You don't know what your talking about." The woman stated simply.

"The point we're trying to make is, would you please consider letting Rapunzel come back to school." Hiccup finished.

The woman stared at Hiccup her expression had gone from angry, to worried, and then to stony all in the space of a few moments. "I would have considered an alternative, but Rapunzel has left again. I cannot negotiate with someone who isn't here."

Merida glanced at Hiccup and saw that his eyes had grown wide, and worried. He looked at her before he said, "She's not here?"

The woman just stared at them.

"Okay, well… Sorry for bothering you..." Hiccup said awkwardly getting up. "We'll leave you alone now."

Merida got up too, and started toward the door where the woman stood. "Actually," the woman hit the wall next to her with her hip. The room went black, pitch black. Merida strained her eyes desperate to see. From near by she heard the woman say. "I think I'd rather have the company."


End file.
